The United Kingdom and the Philippines have officially launched the UK-Philippines Growth and Investment Partnerships Plus (UK-PH GIP+), marking a significant new phase in strengthening long-term economic cooperation between the two nations.
Building on the original Growth and Investment Partnerships (GIP) established in 2023, the enhanced GIP+ framework is designed to accelerate transparent and sustainable investment, promote job creation, and deepen the Philippines’ integration into global value chains. The initiative also aims to unlock new commercial opportunities for UK businesses while supporting the Philippines’ development priorities.
GIP+ brings together a suite of UK-backed financial institutions and mechanisms, including British International Investment (BII), UK Export Finance (UKEF), the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), and MOBILIST. These will be complemented by the deployment of UK technical experts to support the end-to-end development and delivery of bankable infrastructure projects across the Philippines.
Speaking at the launch, UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific Seema Malhotra MP underscored the strong economic alignment between the two countries:
“The Philippines’ strong growth and dynamic economy make it a natural partner for British investment and technical expertise. We have already seen the success of Citicore Renewables, delivering clean energy backed by UK investment. Through our Growth and Investment Partnerships, we are mobilising capital, sharing expertise, and building partnerships that deliver sustainable growth and tangible benefits for communities and businesses in both countries.”
She also highlighted the UK’s support, through BII, for a solar energy project in South Cotabato, now supplying power to approximately 82,000 homes—demonstrating the real-world impact of UK-Philippines collaboration.
Srini Nagarajan, Managing Director and Head of Asia at BII, emphasised the country’s strong investment pipeline: “The Philippines offers compelling opportunities, particularly in infrastructure, clean energy, and climate-related sectors. Through UK-PH GIP+, we look forward to scaling investment, mobilising private capital, and supporting projects that deliver lasting development impact.”
Nishant Kumar, Head of Coverage (Asia) and Managing Director (Asia) at GuarantCo, part of PIDG, highlighted the importance of partnerships in unlocking investment: “Mobilising private investment requires strong institutions, well-prepared projects, and trusted partnerships. UK-PH GIP+ brings these elements together, enabling us to support a pipeline of bankable infrastructure projects and foster inclusive growth.”
UK Export Finance (UKEF) Chief Executive Officer Tim Reid outlined the UK’s financial support mechanisms: “UKEF plays a vital role in bringing high-quality projects to market by offering guarantees and risk-sharing solutions. With £5 billion in export financing available, we are well-positioned to support the Philippines’ ambitious priorities—from modern transport systems to critical clean energy initiatives.
Ross Ferguson, Senior Responsible Officer at MOBILIST, stressed the role of capital markets: “Deep, well-functioning capital markets are essential to mobilising long-term finance at scale. MOBILIST supports the broader GIP+ mission by advancing public market solutions that help attract private investment into sustainable, SDG-aligned projects.”
The launch of UK-PH GIP+ underscores both countries’ shared commitment to fostering sustainable development, strengthening economic resilience, and delivering inclusive growth through strategic investment and collaboration.
